Saturday, January 16, 2010

Watching It

My brother has an 10 year old European car which came with an interesting computer which enables him to monitor various aspects of his driving style. In particular, it provides him feedback about his mileage. Armed with this information he can adjust his driving style to save gas on a trip. Naturally I lusted after one of these devices, but none of the cars I've ever owned has such a computer.

That has now changed. I discovered a company called 'Scan-Gauge' which makes exactly the computer I've always wanted. It provides all the info of my brother's car and more, 14 different variables in all! I recently purchased one of their gauges and am beginning to learn from it. Plugging it into the OBDII outlet under the dash took about a minute or less, so even I could handle the hi-tech part of installing the Scan-Gauge.

To begin with, as the gauge provides data in real-time, I can now track my fuel consumption more closely and adjust accordingly as I drive. It can tell me whether keeping the roof-rack on the car is costing me money. I now know how much it's costing me to transport my kayak on the rack. I can tell what pulling my tiny trailer costs. In short, this little gauge is providing me with lots of information which, if I pay attention, will allow me to continue to travel to distant kayak venues and still keep my carbon footprint low enough to live with.

4 comments:

True, but now I know exactly how much and whether I can adjust my driving habits in any way to reduce the cost. For example, I try to stay under your suggested speed... I know it's a bit of a bubble I'm blowing here, but let me play with it for a while! LOL

About Ckayaker

I'm a father, a seakayaker, a guitarist, a writer, a geocacher and a lover of all things arctic. I try to dream big, journey far, kayak well, and above all, cherish my family and friends.
I believe in self-sponsorship, Team Zero and being as carbon neutral as I can.

Geocacher Stats

"In life, asOn the water, letThe arch of the skyAnd the mightiness of stormsEncompass you.Tremble with joy!"

Quote from an Iglulik shaman recorded by Knud Rasmussen in 1921 in the 'Fifth Thule Expedition" volume on Igloolik.

• • •

"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." - Loran Eisley

• • •

"Remember that kayaking can be a lot like prostitution. First you do it for fun, then for friends, then for money..."

• • •

"Power your boat with carbohydrates not hydrocarbons"

• • •

"Life is about each moment of breath,Living is about each breathless moment!"

• • •

"She's all my fancy painted her, she's lovely, she is light.She waltzes on the waves by day and rests with me at night."

• • •

"There are no strangers,Only unmet friends..."

• • •

"I am a part of all that I have met;Yet all experience is an arch wherethroughGleams that untravelled world, whose margin fadesFor ever and for ever when I move.How dull it is to pause, to make an end,To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!As though to breathe were life."

... from Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson

• • •

"Anyone who feels too small to make a difference has never spent a night in a tent with a mosquito."

...Lawrence Coady

• • •

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now."